It's in the Rain
by Dreamicide
Summary: Hinata has always loved the rain. Maybe in more ways than one. — NejiHina
1. Part One

**Notes:** (2010) - Did some heavy editing. Enjoy.  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own shit.

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**It's in the Rain**

It was a quiet evening in the Hyuuga manor; the only sounds heard in the courtyard were raindrops splattering against the roof of the porch, where a young woman was sitting calmly. She was slowly playing with the long locks of hair that flowed from her scalp, that wasn't even bothered to be pulled back up. On the outside, the woman stared blankly at her hair, with no real emotion visible in her silver eyes. Deep within her heart, the woman wanted to slash the strands of hair clean off of herself, and be rid of the nuisance. "I… hate them…" she calmly whispered to herself. She tightened her hand into a balled fist and continued to glare at the curls streaming down her back and chest.

Suddenly the soft raindrops gained speed and volume, and they crashed into the roof loudly, grabbing the attention of the woman. She brought her head up and looked into the sky. "Rain…" she whispered, then softly smiled. "You would think, with my name being Hinata, I would prefer the sun and despise the rain, but…" she drew a hand out from under her yukata and reached over the side to let the water droplets splatter over her fingers. "It's so calming…I find myself forgetting all of the troubles I am in…like I'm in my own world…" she smiled, and brought her hand back in. "So many events have happened in the rain…" she whispered, watching the water seep down her knuckles. The woman named Hinata looked back up to the clouds. "Oh heavenly sky, why…why do you cry so, today…?" she asked to nobody. Oh…the sky never answers, anyway. Hinata sighed, but then paused, remembering something. She then softly giggled to herself. _Asking that reminded me…of that time with Neji…_

.o.

It was the morning of a quiet Sunday, the pitter-pattering of raindrops echoing throughout the courtyard. Nobody seemed to be present, perhaps an event was taking place elsewhere.

_A ruffling sound was heard toward the manor, and one of the many sliding doors was pulled to the side, revealing a small boy with long brown hair, and a timid little girl with short hair. "Here's the courtyard, Hinata-sama! I like to play here sometimes."_

_The little girl was standing shyly behind the boy, but then leaned over to peer over his shoulder. She gave a small gasp. "W-wow, Neji-niisan…it's really pretty…" she smiled._

_The boy looked at her, then smiled proudly. "Hey look, Hinata-sama, it's raining!" he pointed outside._

_Hinata gasped and buried her face in the boy's back. "No!"_

_Neji stood there for a moment, confused as to what made Hinata react so. "Huh? Hinata-sama, are you afraid of the rain?" He titled his head to the right._

_Hinata looked back up at Neji. "N-No…I'm afraid of the…of the…" she took her finger and touched her lips, trying to decide the right words. "The…um…bang bang boom!" she stretched her arms around her and waved them about._

_This only made Neji even more confused. Bang bang boom? "Oh…" he laughed slightly and put his hand on her shoulder. "You're afraid of thunder?" he smiled._

_Hinata's gaze dropped to her feet, and she blushed slightly. So it's called thunder? "Y…Yes…" she fiddled around with her fingers, feeling ashamed. Neji-niisan knows everything…_

"_Well, I don't think there's anything to worry about. It's just drizzling, see?" the boy drew his hand from his clothes and reached out in front of him, letting the rain splatter on his own fingers. "It's ok—"_

"_Ne…Neji-niisan!" Hinata jumped forward, grabbed Neji's arm, and drew it back from the rain, protectively. She looked at her cousin, as if to ask, 'What are you thinking?'_

_Neji stared at the girl, shocked. "Umm, Hinata…" he took his hand back from the girl's grasp. "I was just telling you that it was safe. We can go out and play, now!" he smiled at her. _

_Hinata stared at him, and looked out from the door. "Go out and…play? But…Neji-niisan…it's raining," she took a small step back, not willing to get wet._

_Neji only looked at her, with a slightly devious grin on his face. "That's what makes it all the more fun, Hinata-sama!"_

"_I don't wanna play in the rain…Father will get mad at me…"_

"_Huh? My Father let's me play in the rain, sometimes. I don't think your Father will mind." _

"_But…"_

_Neji rolled his eyes and smiled. Suddenly he scooted back so he would be behind Hinata, brought his hands out, and pushed her forward. _

"_Ah!" Hinata tripped and fell down. Standing on all fours, she turned her head around and glared at her cousin. "N-Neji-niisan…that…that wasn't nice!" she started sobbing quietly. Maybe if she started crying, he would feel bad and help her. Maybe if she started crying, her Father would come out and get mad at Neji._

_But Neji didn't stop and help her. He only stood under the porch roof and grinned at Hinata, who was crouched down in the rain. "Hey, you better get up and run…" he slowly stepped down from the porch, "'cause I'm…gonna…get you!" he suddenly sprinted over to his cousin and started poking her in her ticklish spots. _

_Hinata started screaming. "Ah! No, Neji-niisan, don't!" she tried pushing him away, but to no avail. "Ne…hee-hee…Neji-nii…ha ha…! Neji-niisan, stop it! Ahahaha!" Hinata started squealing in laughter, having difficulty speaking. _

"_What's that? I can't hear you!" Neji said as he continued poking the small girl. He was obviously enjoying himself, playing with someone even close to his age. _

_The girl finally rolled around on her stomach, pushed up with her arms, and started running away, toward the center of the courtyard. "You can't get me!" she yelled behind her, showing that she, herself, was also having fun. _

_Neji stood up and grinned. "Ha! I bet I can, too!" he shouted, and started to chase after her, the rain spraying against his clothes. _

_Hinata squealed in response, and started running faster. For a while, the two children chased each other around the center of the courtyard, laughing and screaming. But after a few minutes, they both got tired, and decided to sit on the small hill in the center of the courtyard together. Head against head, they laid down and stared up at the sky, watching the rain droplets land around their ears and into their silver eyes. Neji sighed contently, and smiled._

_As Hinata gazed into the depth of the heavens, suddenly a question popped into her head. Huh…She sat up straight and turned her head towards Neji, who was now looking at her with a confused face. "Neji-niisan?"_

_He hesitated. "Yes, Hinata-sama? What is it?"_

_Hinata paused for a second, and lied back down on her back, her hands behind her head. "Neji-niisan, why…" she took a small hand and pointed to the gray clouds. "Why is the sky crying? Did someone hurt it? Or is it sad?" she drew her small hand back down and rested it upon her chest. _

_Neji looked at her, confused as to how to answer. Should he say something childish? Or should he go ahead and explain the concepts of the water cycle to Hinata? She wouldn't know that kind of thing, though. Neji had already been taught the science, but it seemed as though Hinata hasn't. "Well," he said, turning his head back up toward the sky. "I'm afraid I can't answer that. I have tried asking the sky why it cries so much, but it only ignored me, and continued to sob," he sighed, gazing into nothingness._

"_But why would it do that?" Hinata asked loudly. "All it will ever do is weep, but what if someone can help the sky? What if someone can help it stop crying?"_

_At her sudden outburst, Neji looked at her, shocked. He started thinking about his next answer, and was having great difficulty deciding on what to say. "Maybe…maybe the sky doesn't want anyone to help. Maybe it just wants to cry."_

"_That doesn't sound right…does it like to cry or something?" Hinata asked quietly. _

"_Perhaps, Hinata-sama," Neji answered._

_The girl paused, and then turned her head to him, and started laughing. "Hahaha. Well, I'm not like the rain," She smiled._

_Neji smiled back. "No, you're not anything like rain. You're like the sun."_

_Hinata beamed, and directed her attention back to the clouds. "I wonder what Neji-niisan is like…"_

_Suddenly the ruffling sound of sliding doors reached the children's ears, and they perked their heads up to see two men that looked almost exactly like each other. _

"_Hinata, Neji, what are you two doing out in the rain? Your clothes are going to be ruined, Hinata. Come here," one of the men barked. "We're going to change you, then I'll give you some basic training, to get you started. Your uncle and cousin will accompany us."_

"_Yes, Father." Hinata sat up, tried to wipe the mud off of her sleeves, and stood up. After giving Neji another glance, she started running over to her father. "Forgive me for looking inappropriate…"she said, carefully using advanced vocabulary in front of her father. _

"_I will overlook it for now," the man replied. He placed his hands on his daughter shoulders, and looked over to the man beside him. "Are you coming?"_

"_Yes, Hiashi-sama. In a minute," the other man replied. He then looked over to the boy. "Neji."_

"_Coming, Father," Neji said, and got up to go over and greet his father just as Hinata did._

"_Now, then. Let us go."_

_.o._

Hinata sighed as she remembered the experience. That was the first time she conquered her fear of the rain and thunder. Since then, she was able to go out and play in the rain without any worry. But after that day, Neji wouldn't play with her anyways._ Oh, now I remember,_ Hinata thought. _That was the day my Father activated the curse mark on Neji's Father, with Neji present…_She sighed and started playing with her hair some more.

By now it was practically storming. The wind was gusting and howling, the rain was splashing, and soft thunder was rumbling in the distance. Hinata didn't mind, by then. And sitting under the porch provided the proper protection to her yukata, so she was comfortable and dry.

Without the rain's many sounds and distractions, Hinata continued to sit and think about the many events that proceeded during the rain time. "After that, Neji-niisan started to become more…sour…"

_.o._

_It was the morning of a Tuesday, and the muggy, humid outdoors had caused most of the Hyuuga residence to take refuge indoors. All except for one Hyuuga branch member, who stood on the small hill, in the center of the courtyard. He stood completely still, putting every fiber in his body to his concentration on his surroundings. Enlarged veins creeping around his silver eyes, he suddenly noticed someone coming up behind. He wondered what someone would do in this weather, and then suppressed his Byakugan. _

"_Ne…Neji-niisan…" a soft whisper brushed against his ears._

_Without turning around to greet his visitor, Neji said in a flat voice, "Hinata-sama, it is raining, and it would be best for you to go inside before you catch cold." He sensed Hinata's gaze dropping to the ground in embarrassment._

"_I-I know, but…I was just wondering…what you were doing out in the rain…and, you might become ill as well…"_

"_No one is concerned with my health," Neji replied._

I…am concerned with your health…_"Oh…s-sorry, Neji-niisan." Hinata's eyes half-closed as she continued to stare at her wet, mud slicked feet._

_For a few minutes, they paused, neither moving nor saying anything. Neji continually stood in his spot, and Hinata stared at his back, long brown strands of hair sticking to his clothes. _

"_Are you concerned for your safety in the upcoming Ch__ū__nin exams? Don't take them. It is certain death for those with a unique self-esteem system such as yourself," Neji suddenly said._

_Hinata let out a small gasp and looked up. "Oh…but…but I really think I can do it—"_

"_Please do not push and convince yourself that you can pass this easily, Hinata-sama," Neji cut Hinata off. He slowly turned his head around and glared at Hinata with flashing silver eyes._

_Hinata's own eyes widened as she touched her finger to her lip. "I…I…I think I…" she stammered, becoming intimidated by Neji's fierce look. "Well, I…" _He's so cold…_Hinata stood up straight and clenched her fists. "I am going to take the Ch__ū__nin exams, Neji-niisan. I do not know if I will pass, but…there is no other way I will find out…" Hinata whispered softly._

_Neji turned his head back around. "Hn. Do as you must, Hinata-sama."_

_Hinata's head dropped, and she closed her eyes. Neji's so angry inside, and she felt like there was no way she could help him. It was so sad…_

"_Oh…!" Hinata's head jerked up and she looked at Neji's back. "I just realized something, Neji-niisan…and it's…well…"_

_Neji stood there; being patient enough to listen to what Hinata was going to say._

"_Neji-niisan is just like…the rain." _He is crying inside…and will not accept any help from anyone. _She thought, sadness choking her throat._

**To be continued...**_  
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	2. Part Two

**Notes: **(2010) - Originally back in 2007, ffnet kept screwing up my document whenever I tried submitting it as a one-shot. So it became a two-shot. Enjoy.

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**Chapter Two**

"Where could that woman have run off too, especially on _this_ day?" a man scratched the back of his head. "She better not have ran away at the last minute…" he tapped his foot impatiently and looked at his surroundings. He was standing outside of the Hyuuga meeting hall, where every single Hyuuga member, main house and branch house, were sitting comfortably, waiting for an announcement to take place.

Except for _one_ Hyuuga member.

"Darn it, Hinata…" the man gritted his teeth. "I swear I'll rip you in half if you miss this thing on purpose…"

"Well, Neji-san, why don't you go look in the places Hinata-sama favors? Who knows, she may be hiding there." A Hyuuga main house elder walked up to the man and tapped his shoulders.

The now grown-up Neji turned his head and looked at the elder with a you-can't-be-serious look on his face. "Where would Hinata-sama _go_ in all this rain? There's no way she'd be in the courtyard…" his voice trailed off.

The elder only smiled. "Well, then. Go get her. Today is a big day for Hinata-sama."

Neji let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, sir."

_.o._

_It was a Friday evening, one week before the third Chūnin exam was taking place. Hinata was sitting with her knees curled against her chin on the hill in the courtyard, letting the summer rain fall around her. Her eyes half closed, she continually stared at her small toes, curled up under her feet._

_"Hinata-sama…" a voice reached her._

_Hinata jumped, and turned around to see Neji looking at her with a cold, yet…warm face at the same time. She flinched, and started trembling._

_"Y-Yes, Neji-niisan…?" she whispered, chills running up her spine. Ever since Neji had nearly murdered Hinata in the preliminaries to the third exam, even the sound of Neji's name would make her start shaking._

_Neji sighed, and turned his head to the side. Looking at her was just pitiful. "For your condition…" he slowly got down on all fours and bowed. "Forgive me…"_

_Hinata's eyes widened at his action. Neji…apologizing? _Oh…_She thought. _It must be a small punishment for harming the heir to the Hyuuga…My Father or the Hyuuga elders must be making him do this…It…It can't be a real apology…_Nonetheless, she slowly stood up and looked at Neji. "N-Neji-niisan…I for—"_

_Suddenly her stomach lurched and a gulp of blood forced their way put of her lips, spewing her chest. She cupped her mouth with her hands and collapsed onto her knees._

_"Hinata-sama!" a few Hyuuga members shouted and ran over to aid Hinata. "Hinata-sama, hold on, we'll escort you to the medicine room and help stop the bleeding…" two women hoisted Hinata up and started carrying her away, leaving Neji sitting down, on the hill in the center of the courtyard, letting the rain fall on his face._

_.o._

"Ugh…I don't see her anywhere." Neji stood with his hands on his knees, and huffing and puffing. "I'm here in the courtyard, but I don't see where she…oh…" his voice trailed off, as he caught a glimpse of a young woman sitting in a bench on the porch, across the area from where Neji was standing.

He suddenly took a sigh of relief. So she didn't completely run away after all…

"Hinata-sama." He called. When the woman didn't respond, he gritted his teeth and started walking toward her. "Hinata-sama, the ceremony's starting soon, and you are needed greatly…" when he reached up to the woman and was standing in front of her, he paused. Wait a minute…she was dozing off! "Hey." Neji poked her arm, slightly ticked off. Did she forget this whole thing?

Neji looked to the right. It wasn't storming anymore, but rather, the soft murmuring of the rain hitting the roof produced a lullaby. Neji concluded it was what made Hinata fall asleep. "Troublesome woman…why do I even worry about you…" he found himself saying out loud. When she responded with a soft snore, he sighed.

Neji, feeling that he had to take a small break and that the ceremony could wait three minutes, decided to sit down beside of Hinata, and rested his head on his hand. He found himself observing Hinata…not in a perverted way, mind you, but…just realizing at what a young woman Hinata has become. She was still shy, and her self-esteem could still use work, but…at first glance, one would think of her as an attractive, smart, and kind adult.

Neji took a few fingers, reached up, and started playing with Hinata's long, flowing hair. "It really has…gotten long…"

_.o._

_During a Thursday evening in December, Hinata was sitting, crouched behind a tree in the Hyuuga courtyard, feeling the rain run down her short, stubby hair. It was two years after the third Chūnin exam had ended, and one week till her birthday. It had also been almost two years ever since Naruto had up and left Konoha to train with his sensei. Hinata blushed slightly at thinking about him. How she wished he would come back…is training in Konoha not enough for him? Why couldn't _she_ go with them? Hinata buried her face in her arms. _

"_Hinata," a stern voice poked Hinata's ears. _

_She looked up to see her father standing over her. "What are you doing in this rain?" he asked._

"_Oh…just, um…thinking, Father," Hinata answered. _

_Her father frowned. "You can think indoors, Hinata."_

"_Y-Yes, Father…"_

"_Anyway, that wasn't the reason I confronted to you," The Lord Hyuuga straightened himself up, and looked down at Hinata. "You realize you will be taking over this clan someday, Hinata. It will be sooner than you know."_

"_I know, Father."_

"_And I've decided to help train you in becoming more suitable for the role. First we will work on appearance, then we'll gradually change you until your entire personality becomes appropriate as I see fit," he said, giving Hinata an extremely stern look, saying I-will-not-take-any-complaints. _

_Hinata's eyes widened and her eyebrows curved upward in a worried state. "Um…ye-yes, Father…"_

_Lord Hyuuga nodded. "Good. First, we are going to take the first small step in appearance. Hinata, I do not want you to cut your hair anymore. It doesn't give one the impression of being shy. So that's what I want you to work on first, Hinata. Learn how to take care of longer hair, and let it grow as long as it will."_

_Hinata was dumbfounded. Never cut her hair? But she wasn't used to anything other than incredibly short. She inwardly sighed. "Yes…Father…"_

_.o._

A few minutes later, Hinata found herself waking up from a short nap. "Mmmnnn…" she mumbled, wiped her eyes off of crust, and opened them.

Only then did she notice the heavy weight on her left shoulder. She opened her eyes wide and looked to see what was resting on herself.

…

"Neji…niisan…?"

She could only stare, as her cousin dozed comfortably using her side as a pillow. She even saw a small trickle of drool slide down the side of his open mouth. Hinata couldn't help but giggle a little bit, and found that she was content in this scene. She found herself smiling, and rested her back against the bench. She closed her eyes, in hopes of the rain putting her to sleep once more.

"Hinata-sama! Neji-san! What in the world are you two doing?" a Hyuuga elder shouted from across the courtyard.

The shout busted Hinata and Neji both awake at once. Neji sat up, his eyes wide, and was wiping away the drool on his mouth. "What…how…how long have I been here?" he gasped.

"Dear god, Neji-san, it's been almost fifteen minutes since you said you were going to the courtyard and left!" the elder shouted.

"What? That long?" It was Neji's turn to shout out loud. "Hinata-sama! We need to go to the meeting hall!" he took Hinata by the shoulders and shook them.

"Nnngh…What?" she sleepily asked, wiping away the crust on her eyes.

"Hinata-sama, have you forgotten? Today you are being named Head of the Hyuuga!" Neji cried.

"I…what? T-Today?" Hinata snapped awake and her eyes widened. "I-I…need to go!" she jerked up and started running toward the meeting hall, Neji following closely behind her.

_.o._

After the ceremony was over, Hinata was standing in the center of the meeting hall, shaking hands with many important Hyuuga members. "Congratulations, I almost had no hope in you for a while, now. Bless Hiashi-sama, bless him."

"Y-Yes, thank you…" Hinata replied. She smiled, and when the Hyuuga member left, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"So, Hinata-sama…I mean, _Lady Hyuuga_," she heard the voice of her cousin behind her ears. "What exactly were you doing outside in the courtyard…in the rain…if you weren't even running away from the ceremony?"

Hinata took a few fingers and touched Neji's hand. She looked up at his face and grinned deviously. "You know me…I like the rain. It puts me to sleep," she warmly smiled.

Neji smiled back. "Yes, Lady Hyuuga. I know. Now come…It's about time everyone gets ready to bed," he said, and started leading her way out.

Hinata beamed at his gesture, and thought, _Yes…I do like the rain. Maybe even in more ways than one._

**End**_  
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